Rybolovlev’s Disputed Purchases Include Leonardo

Genevois newspaper, Le Temps, is all over the Rybolovlev-Bouvier conflict. Today’s story is filled with details about the Rybolovlev divorce, family trusts and the art acquisitions. One thing seems very clear about the details, Bouvier is not accused of using his position as owner of Natural Le Coultre or the Geneva Freeport to broker sales.

Instead, the complaints suggest Bouvier invoiced for his 2% fee and the works separately but acquired the works for cheaper prices. Rybolovlev claims he discovered this during a dinner with Sandy Heller who told him that Modigliani’s Nu au coussin bleu was sold for $93.5m when Rybolovlev paid $118m plus a $2.36m fee. Other works included a Rothko, N ° 6 – Purple, Green and Red, Rothko (1951) which seems to mave been traded for a Modigliani Tete valued at $60m..

The story also says that Rybolovlev bought the Leonardo Salvador Mundi for $127.5m though he was miffed to see a NYTimes report that the work had sold through Sotheby’s for $75 to 80m.

Modigliani, Picasso, da Vinci’s masterpieces at the heart of Yves Bouvier ( LeTemps)